Have Bulgarian Parents Cracked the Code on Raising Resilient Kids?

Meet Dara and Lena. They're twins growing up in one of Europe's poorest countries. But that might just be to their advantage. Bulgaria is struggling economically. Conditions aren't exactly ideal, but the children here are surprisingly resilient. When it comes to handling crises, Bulgarian children do better than their peers in richer countries. Resilience is a huge topic in the U.S. where I'm from because so many kids and teens are struggling mentally. That brings me to a really simple question. What are Bulgarian parents doing better? Desislava and Nikola live with their children in the capital Sofia. Coming up, we'll show you how they raise Dara and Lena and how they build their resilience. And we'll get their take on a controversial practice. Many Bulgarian parents still believe a slap on the back of the head is just part of parenting. But that alone doesn't build resilience. Traditionally, family has been a priority in Bulgaria. The nation in Southeastern Europe is sparsely populated, with only 6.4 million residents, 1.1 million of whom are children. The fertility rate is 1.6 children per woman, higher than the EU average. Most families with children in Bulgaria only have one child. Desislava is a journalist and Nikola is in IT. He lived abroad for years. In France, for example, where he studied and worked. When the couple met in 2014 and decided to start a family, they chose a life in Bulgaria. And they aren't the only ones returning to their home country. What changes did they bring back with them? When it comes to families and children, Bulgaria is a really fascinating place. After the end of socialism, a lot of people left, especially young, well-educated people. And to this day, Bulgaria is still considered the poorest country in the EU. But in the past few years, something has been shifting. Reforms have started. And with the people who are coming back, something else is returning too. Optimism. Desislava has worked as a freelancer for several years. It gives her the flexibility to pick up the kids from school, often accompanied by Racho, the family dog. Bulgaria's education system faces challenges. In a 2026 UNICEF study on child well-being, the country ranked 32nd out of 37 in academic skills. But rather than losing hope, Desislava and Nikola focus on the positives. At home, they seek to create an environment where children take responsibility. Be it with chores or independent study, screen time is limited to one hour. After that, Dara and Lena have to find their own interests and strengths. Bulgaria offers some of Europe's longest parental leave. Jobs are guaranteed for up to three years, the first 14 months paid nearly in full. That's followed by a year at minimum wage. Once a child is six months old, the father can take care of the children. Even though parents like Desislava and Nikola share childcare more equally, Bulgarian society is still very much shaped by old patriarchal structures. Only about 1% of Bulgarian fathers take a longer break from work to care for their kids. Desislava wanted to get back to work early. At least once a week, the twins go out climbing. Their parents want them to try as many activities as possible. It's not about being the best. It's about building self-confidence and trying new things. According to one major study from 2025, children and teenagers in Bulgaria score surprisingly well when it comes to mental health and overall well-being, ranking 10th out of 43 countries. Considering the tough conditions, that's a strong sign of real resilience. Nikola often picks the children up from climbing to spend time together, time in which the kids have freedom to choose their own activities. I would say that we are relatively strict and demanding parents, even though we give a lot of freedom to our children. But we give it to them because they somehow deserve it and somehow justified our trust. Clear boundaries are essential for Nikola and Desislava. In Bulgaria, however, boundaries are sometimes still enforced with violence. It's a responsibility of the parents to normalize the family, to take care of the children. Unfortunately, these cases are not isolated in any closed-door family. Unfortunately, we can see these cases in kindergartens, in nurseries, in schools. At the same time, the Bulgarian family is a reliable safety net, a place where help is guaranteed. Children here receive a great deal of attention. So what do you think? Have Bulgarians cracked the code on parenting?